Signal-light



2 Sheets-Sheet 'i 0. WATTS.

SIGNAL LIGHT.

(No Model.)

...A7/fa' 277555 2 Sheets-Sheet 0. WATTS.

SIGNAL LIGHT.

(No Model.)

, muted Aug. 19, 1884..

Yayi/72,27..-

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lUNiTnn STATES ATnNT Tries,

CHARLES wAfrTs, or LocANsroR'r, INDIANA.

SIGNAL-LIGHT.

SPECIFIGATON forming part of Letters Patept No. 303,900, dated August 19, 1884,

' Application inca December 2o, rees. (No man.)

To all whom it 12T/ay concern.:

Be it known that I, GHARLEs XVATTs, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Logans port, in the county etl Cass and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and'nseful Improvements in Signal-Lights, of which the following is a specication, to wit:

This invention relates to an improvement in signaldights; and it consists in a case divided into a series of separate compartments having glass panels of Various colors and a series of removable lamps adapted to be shifted from one compartment to another at pleasure, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In orderto enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction an d operation, referrin g tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a perspective View of one of my signal-cases; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same; and Figs. 3 and 4L are views showing a special application of the device to the rear ot' a car, the former being an outside and the latter an inside view of the car with the signal-lanip attached.

A represents a case of sheet metal or other suitable material, divided into a series of com partments by partitions a. a. .It is obvious that these compartments may be arranged either vertically or horizontally, as may be required by the kind of signals used. In the drawings a vertical arrangement is shown, and the comp'artinents are connected by an opening, a', in their iioors or partit-ions, through which the smoke and hot air are conducted off to the chimney A at the top. Each compartment is provided upon one or more sides with a glass panel, each of which is intended to be of a different color, and also with a removable lamp, B.

To serve the double purpose of keeping the lamp in place and 'preventing the reflection of light from onev compartment to the other through the openings cf, I provide each compartment' with a circular ilange, b, as repre-- sented in the drawings, and the lamps B are provided with ashield, B', having an air-space, b, between it and the bottom oi' the lamp, to prevent undue heating from the lamp below it.

Access is gained to the device by a door, C,

While the device is intended for generalsignaling purposes by placing one or more of the lamps in the compartments, and thus showing one or more c'olored lights in the desired relation to each other, to represent given signals, it is especially adapted for use upon rait road-trains.

.It usual to display upon the rear car of a train a lamp or lantern 'showing a red light to the rear and green at the side while running, and if the train is side-tracked7 at any point this is changed for a green rear light and white side light. To do this the lantern must be removed from the cage in which it is contained and either turned around or another substituted to show the proper signals.

In Figs. 3 and 4, which show my device adapted to this purpose, is represented a frame having two divisions-one above the otherand arranged with colored glass, lamp-sockets, Soc., exactly as I have already described it. A lamp placed in the lower compartment shows a red rear and green side light, as is desired for ruiming, while upon running upon a side track it is only necessary to shift the lamp from one compartment to the other to change the signal, as already stated. To prevent these lights from being knocked off in switching. about the yard or in passing trains, &c., as will often happen, I secure the case upon a slide, D, resting in a grooved bracket, D', upon the inside ot' the car, and upon entering the yard the case is drawn inside the car, out of the way.

This device is not only used for tail-lights 7 upon a train, but is also applicable upon the engine to what are known as classification signals,7 and the glass properly arranged for this purpose.

It will be observed that the glass door C Serves to parti-all y light the car or cab in which it is placed, and the attendant therefore has his attention at once called to any accident to the lamps by blowing out or other causes.

The whole device is very simple and adapted to give a series of signals without changing- IOO use more than one lamp at a time, and when' in the lowest position nothing prevents the illumination of both panels at once, thereby causing a confusion of signals. This I obviate by constructing a case with independent and entirely separate compartments and a series of removable or interchangeable lamps entirely independent of any operating device, and may therefore produce a series of signals limited only by the number of compartments in the case, and each one of which is clear and positive, and not liable to become confused by the light being reflected from one compartment to the other.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy l. In a signal device, a case divided into a series o'f compartments, each provided with one or more panels of colored glass, in combination with a series of independent removable lamps adapted to be placed in any of the conipartments, whereby any desired colors or combinations of colors may be had in signaling,

substantially as shown and described.

v 2. In a signal device, a case divided into a series of compartments-one above the otherby partitions having` air-openings therein, and a series of glass panels of various colors in the sides of the compartments, in combination with a lamphaving a shield arranged below its body with an air-space between, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a signaling device, a ease divided into a series of vertically-arranged compartments separated by partitions having air-openings therein, in combination with a series of removable lamps and a' guard or iiange secured t0 the partitions around said openings, adapted to both retain theV lamp in position and prevent the reflection of the light in a lower compartment from showing through the panels of an upper one, substantially as shown and described.

4. In asignaling device, aroom or car having an opening in its side, in combination with a signal-case secured over this opening, and means for projecting it through or withdrawing it within t-he side of the car, room, or cab,

p CHARLES VVATTS.

Vitn esses:

W. C. MCARTHUR, WV. J. MORDEN'. 

